The letter, signed by 14 different organisations including NAEA Propertymark, the Residential Property Surveyors Association, the Conveyancing Association and Mortgage Advice Bureau, warns that the industry does not have “sufficient capacity” to deal with the surge in demand caused by the need for completions to go through in such a limited window.

It adds that if those completions do not go through in time, then it could lead to the breakdown of housing chains, as buyers and sellers find themselves unable to proceed with deals which they could have afforded without having to worry about Stamp Duty.

The signatories call for “urgent action” in the form of an extension of the Stamp Duty holiday by at least six months, announced before Christmas, as well as for the Government to work with the industry to “help smooth the end of an extended Stamp Duty holiday to prevent another cliff edge”.

The letter adds: “By acting now, the government can release the pressure in the system to allow transactions to complete and avoid a disorderly and distressing period for movers and businesses throughout the market. Any extension or gradual phasing of the Stamp Duty Land Tax would also help mitigate sharp reductions in consumer demand.

“More widely, a buoyant housing market drives consumer confidence in the wider economy whereas constrictions on lending and falling house prices lead to reduced consumer confidence and a material reduction in economic activity.”

Mark Haywayd, chief executive of NAEA Propertymark, said that the joint letter was an “important step” in protecting those in the process of buying or selling a house who may find that their planned deal ends up going through after the deadline as a result of the increased pressure on service providers within the industry.

He added: “We are calling on Government to rethink these timings, so pressure on the system can be released to allow transactions to complete and avoid a disorderly and distressing period for movers and businesses throughout the market.”